The Denver Catholic Register WEDNESDAY JUNE 20, 1979 VOL. LIV NO. 36 Colorado’s Largest Weekly 32 PAGES 25 CENTS PER COPY Conrad, an Editorial Cartoonist Whose Pen Has a Tongue of Fire By Thomas M. Jenkins Assaulting complacency, ridiculing corruption and lambasting the pretentions, malfeasances and idiotic decisions of modern bureaucratic government as well as the personal and spiritual plight of the American citizen, Paul Conrad is a cartoonist who dares to be controversial and take an unequivocal stand. In the process, his six cartoons a week for the Los Angeles Times have been raising blood pressures for the past 16 years. After two Pulitzer Prizes and two published books, his caustic im agery continues to be syndicated in 150 newspapers. Conrad, who was with the Denver Post for 13 years as an editorial cartoonist, has justly earned his place in the procession of the illustrious cartoonist pens of Daumier, Nast, Levine, MacNelly, Mauldin, Herblock, Wright and Oliphant. He maintains the gutsy tradition of those satirists whose ridicule contains the truth necessary to puncture the bubbles of inept leadership, overuse of power, the inability to act, the mistreatment of the disadvantaged, elderly and ignorant, the prolongation of war and the continuation of a destructive monetary policy. If he seems cruel to the politician, it is only to be kind to the Republic. Religious Conviction Unique in presentation is Conrad’s religious conviction. Under no constraining directives from the Los Angeles Times, Conrad is always forthright and sometimes brutal in confronting the spiritual issues of the day. In that process, he disturbs (and even angers) many of his readers as he forces them to look at themselves and their patterns of living. Two cartoons in particular that aroused mixed reactions were on the issue of abortion: • A baby crucified on a huge cross with a sign tacked on the cross above its head which read, "Abortion on Demand” The caption of the cartoon (the baby’s words) was, “ Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” • The dramatic silhouette of a doctor talking to a father inside the door of a hospital room labeled. Abortion Ward, says: “ I ’m sorry to have to tell you this, but your baby was born alive.” Conrad’s cartoons with religious content or religious imagery are varied. Some are direct statements of a current spiritual dilem m a; some use religious terms or frameworks to present his concern about a secular issue. Examples of the latter are: • A praying Nixon in what was captioned, “ The garden It' of Graham, ” • Appropriately garbed parish priest Gerald Ford telling a ragged New York City crowd in confession, “ Go ye FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WERE UPSET BY THE JONESTOWN NIGHTMARE___ and spend no m ore.” • Carter at the “ Last Supper” says to a host of early primary competitors, “ One of you will try to deny me the Deep Religious Convictions nomination.” • Struggling shepherds under the star of a Bethlehem Paul Conrad, Pulitzer prize-winning cartoonist for the new homes — is one of many indicating his strong sky with the caption, “ Detente on earth.” Los Angeles Times, is an active member of St. John spiritual and social values. Malaysia recently threatened • Two frames. One showed destructive bombs of war Fisher parish in Palos Verdes, Calif. Previously he had to expel 76,000 such refugees, and the U.S. Catholic falling to earth; the other showed a rocket blasting off to been editorial cartoonist for 13 years with the Denver Conference has said it will support efforts to resettle outer space. The caption: “ The agony and the ecstasy.” Post. them in the United States. t Although be is not a Catholic spokesman for the Times, As a caricaturist-cartoonist who can capture the entire Spiritual Values complexity of a social or political issue in a single car­ he unhesitatingly expresses his deep religious convictions Conrad’s cartoons dealing with spiritual themes are not toon, Conrad is a graphic “ commentator” on our times. and personal views of contemporary society. blatant preaching instruments: they are simple and low- His pen has a tongue of fire. This cartoon, which depicts the plight of the Boat keyed ob.servations about spiritual needs, sometimes about People — the thousands of Vietnamese refugees seeking (Continued oh Page 16). C h u r c h The 'Polish P H n e o - r P i V e f i risWtiiGhhHf i ^ u k e ' Page 2 — THE DENVER CATHOLIC REGISTER. Wed.. Jur>e 20.1979 AHCHBLSHOP'S OFFICE 200 Josephine Street Colorado Springs Dedication Denver. CO 80206 A 20-year dream of the memory of his brother, Roc- center for temporary use as Father Michael Walsh, the Official parishioners of Holy Trinity a church, with a permanent present pastor, broke ground co. who had died in a well- Schedules ('hurch. 3101 I’ oinsetta Drive house explosion near the church building to come for the new church. Just in Northeast Colorado Spr­ church site in 19.34. Venetuc­ later. The school was built over one year later, on the Archbishop James V. Casey ings, will become a reality ci has maintained close ties and dedicated in 1965. parish feast day. Trinity on June 2fl with the parish community Through the years, the Sunday. June 10, the Sunday, June 24. 9:15 a.m. — Platteville. St. ()n that date at 6 p m ever since. community held to its hope cornerstone-setting Nicholas Church, Concelebrated Mass, Pastoral Visit. Archbishop James V. Casey for a true church building, ceremony was held. Sunday, June 24, 11:15 a.m. — Fort Lupton. St. will preside at dedication Founding Pastor for there remained, as well, Between Father W'illiam’s Church, Concelebrated Mass, Pastoral Visit. ceremonies for the parish’s the urgent need for full-time Sunday. June 24, 2:00 p.m. — Wattenberg, Our Lady The late Father John Aylward's beginning new church use of the gym-social center of Grace Church. Concelebrated Mass, Pastoral Visit. Aylward was appointed ministrv to Holy Trinity and The dedication falls short, as a part of the parish plant. Thursday, June 28, 5:30 p.m. — Colorado Springs. founding pastor by Father Walsh's arrival in by exactly two months, of The youth, senior citizen and Holy Trinity Church. Concelebrated Mass, Dedication of Archbishop Vehr. At the 1976. two other pastors, the 20th anniversary date of social outreach programs New Church, Dinner to follow. the founding of Holy Trinity, time of his arrival in Fath'»r Walter Jaeger and undertaken by the parish Father Edward .Madden, had The late Archbishop Colorado .Springs, the parish needed more operating served the parish. Bishop George R. Evans Urban .1 Vehr established had no building, but there room. Architect Paul Mayberry Saturday, June 23, 1:00 p.m. — Loveland, St. John the parish Aug. 2H. 19,%. were 450 families to be cared of Denver and Angell-Currie the Evangelist Church, Concelebrated Mass with Bishop Land, comprising 5.6 acres for In January 1977, a task .Associates of Colorado Spr­ Patrick Flores for Migrants. was purchased by the force formed to study the Masses were held for ings designed the new Sunday. June 24, 5:00 p.m. — Sterling, St. Anthony's archdiocese from A V over-all long-range parish several years in various building to conform with Church, Migrant Mass. (Tony) Venetucci owned needs, recommended that a temporary facilities. Since it Thursday, June 28, 4:00 p.m. — Denver, Town Club. and was developing some 66 new church be built parish task force recommen­ was envisioned that there AMC Cancer Research Center and Hospital, Annual acres of what is now known dations that, "in the spirit of would soon be a church Meeting of the Board of Trustees. as Venetian Village. Groundbreaking Vatican 11, the focus should ST'hool, the parish planned, be on community participa­ As a gift to the new designed and, in the early On May 21, 1978, Bishop tion in the various liturgical Bishop Richard C. Hanifen parish, Venetucci returned 60's, built a gymnasium- Richard Hanifen, Vicar of forms, a moixl of common Saturday, June 23, 5:00 p.m. — Denver, St. Joseph's half of the purchase price in social and community the Southern Area, and celebration." Polish Church. Silver Jubilee Concelebrated Mass. The old church will soon Father Jan Mucha. begin a transformation of its .Monday, June 25-26 — Washington, D C. Campaign own, to become the also for Human Development .Meeting. Welfare Burials to Increase long-awaited full-time Wednesday, June 27, — Colorado Springs, Benet ('vinna'iiuin-social renter Pines. Vicariate Coordinating Committee Meeting. Requests for welfare said, and two Denver-area Rult, Ml. Olivet superinten­ and outreach facilitv burials at Mt Olivet cemeteries have announced dent. could estimate how Cemetery probably will in­ they w ill not accept any many requests might be crease becau.se of legislative more. made because it is not Loveland Hispanic Celebration inaction, according to The result probably will known how many Catholic .A special Mass to seminarians and deacons William Mef^ook, dire<’tor of mean an increase in welfare burials might be involved at A social get-together will celebrate the faith and working in Northern follow the Mass. financial management and burial requests at Mt. the two cemeteries — Crown culture of the Hispanic com­ (Colorado real estate for the Olivet, the Catholic Hill and Fairmount that The celebration has been munity will bx- held at St Bishop Patricio Flores of Archdiocese of Denver. cemetery at 12801 W. 44th will not take welfare cases planned by the archdiocesan John the Evangelist church, The State Legislature Ave.